Marc Hofer
@marchofer.bsky.social
Journalist ,former East-Africa and Middle East and a few years China. Ex SkyNews, Ex ITV. A few wars, a little bit of “cybersec and China” and other things.
Read our primer on how the big-data analysis system operated by the Chinese police can track people across country, via having almost real time access to their means of travel, bank account activities, phone calls and online activity. netaskari.substack.com/p/smart-poli...
December 8, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Read our primer on how the big-data analysis system operated by the Chinese police can track people across country, via having almost real time access to their means of travel, bank account activities, phone calls and online activity. netaskari.substack.com/p/smart-poli...
China’s hacking training grounds, gunning or foreign nations’ critical infrastructure: tinyurl.com/y67z79ve
November 26, 2025 at 8:42 AM
China’s hacking training grounds, gunning or foreign nations’ critical infrastructure: tinyurl.com/y67z79ve
Xinjiang 912: The evolution of the Great Firewall forged in one of the world’s most surveilled and controlled regions. open.substack.com/pub/netaskar...
October 2, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Xinjiang 912: The evolution of the Great Firewall forged in one of the world’s most surveilled and controlled regions. open.substack.com/pub/netaskar...
We took a stroll among the less sexy “study” documents of MESA Lab but still found some interesting little nuggets on the future of China’s cyber strategy and developments : open.substack.com/pub/netaskar...
September 30, 2025 at 5:37 AM
We took a stroll among the less sexy “study” documents of MESA Lab but still found some interesting little nuggets on the future of China’s cyber strategy and developments : open.substack.com/pub/netaskar...
Selling China's Great Firewall to the world: a series of unprecedented data and document leaks lift the curtain on China's global surveillance and censorship business ( built with the help of some western big tech players too ). open.substack.com/pub/netaskar...
September 22, 2025 at 6:55 AM
Selling China's Great Firewall to the world: a series of unprecedented data and document leaks lift the curtain on China's global surveillance and censorship business ( built with the help of some western big tech players too ). open.substack.com/pub/netaskar...
We did a little bit of an analysis of a leaked project mindmap that according to us, reveals some internals of a Chinese network range, operated by the Ministry of Public Security.
September 12, 2025 at 2:43 PM
We did a little bit of an analysis of a leaked project mindmap that according to us, reveals some internals of a Chinese network range, operated by the Ministry of Public Security.
Check out the report here: tinyurl.com/mvxstdee
September 6, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Check out the report here: tinyurl.com/mvxstdee
Kimsuky or not Kimsuky ? A leak of data from a VM and a VPS reveals operations of an APT that was first attributed to North Korea, but might be actually a Chinese operation. substack.com/@netaskari/n...
August 12, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Kimsuky or not Kimsuky ? A leak of data from a VM and a VPS reveals operations of an APT that was first attributed to North Korea, but might be actually a Chinese operation. substack.com/@netaskari/n...
NetAskari has an anonymous “dead drop” now. If you have information, leaks or want to reach out without exposing yourself go to: deaddrop.netaskari.online .
July 28, 2025 at 9:14 PM
NetAskari has an anonymous “dead drop” now. If you have information, leaks or want to reach out without exposing yourself go to: deaddrop.netaskari.online .
Public documents, recently released from the Xinjiang Police College reveals how China is building its "Cyber Ranges" and trains its cyber operatives working for the Ministry of Public Security. open.substack.com/pub/netaskar...
July 25, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Public documents, recently released from the Xinjiang Police College reveals how China is building its "Cyber Ranges" and trains its cyber operatives working for the Ministry of Public Security. open.substack.com/pub/netaskar...
The export controls to China seem to work swimmingly …
July 24, 2025 at 11:16 AM
The export controls to China seem to work swimmingly …
Read the full story on the SLAPP procedure against freewechat.com on here 6/6 : open.substack.com/pub/netaskar...
July 9, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Read the full story on the SLAPP procedure against freewechat.com on here 6/6 : open.substack.com/pub/netaskar...
The process was initiated by the company GROUP-IB, a Singaporean based cyber security firm that claims to focus on cyber crime but also runs a unit that deals with "brand protection". 2/6
July 9, 2025 at 10:47 AM
The process was initiated by the company GROUP-IB, a Singaporean based cyber security firm that claims to focus on cyber crime but also runs a unit that deals with "brand protection". 2/6
A “SLAPP case" against Freewechat.com has initiated the temporary de-hosting of the anti-censorship platform via an IP infringement claim. 🧵 1/ 6
July 9, 2025 at 10:47 AM
A “SLAPP case" against Freewechat.com has initiated the temporary de-hosting of the anti-censorship platform via an IP infringement claim. 🧵 1/ 6
Newsletter #3: Security on Chinese hardware and software, unorthodox “sanctions evasion”and more: open.substack.com/pub/netaskar...
June 19, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Newsletter #3: Security on Chinese hardware and software, unorthodox “sanctions evasion”and more: open.substack.com/pub/netaskar...
Read it here: netaskari.substack.com/p/biweekly-n...
June 5, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Read it here: netaskari.substack.com/p/biweekly-n...
NetAskari.online newsletter #2: Bounty on Taiwanese hackers, TP-Link hardware scare, revoked TLS certificates and the GFW little brothers.
June 5, 2025 at 10:50 AM
NetAskari.online newsletter #2: Bounty on Taiwanese hackers, TP-Link hardware scare, revoked TLS certificates and the GFW little brothers.
Read here on the how a tighter net to monitor data traffic on a provincial level in China can lead to more efficient control while sniffing out “malicious” actors quicker. open.substack.com/pub/netaskar...
May 28, 2025 at 7:10 AM
Read here on the how a tighter net to monitor data traffic on a provincial level in China can lead to more efficient control while sniffing out “malicious” actors quicker. open.substack.com/pub/netaskar...
One big wall, many fortresses: China is increasing it's compartmentalising of the internet along provinces and sub-districts. The goal: More granulated control, tailored censorship and sniffing out VPNs. A leaked proof-of-concept demonstrates how it could look.
May 28, 2025 at 7:10 AM
One big wall, many fortresses: China is increasing it's compartmentalising of the internet along provinces and sub-districts. The goal: More granulated control, tailored censorship and sniffing out VPNs. A leaked proof-of-concept demonstrates how it could look.
Here is our bi-weekly newsletter on Chinese cyber threat, surveillance and hacking stories that we think are interesting but maybe a little bit less covered. Check it out.
May 22, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Here is our bi-weekly newsletter on Chinese cyber threat, surveillance and hacking stories that we think are interesting but maybe a little bit less covered. Check it out.
As Reuters reported, new findings in Chinese made components for US energy infrastructure has set off some alarm bells. But is it a supply chain attack ? Is it just shoddy design and a lack of documentation ?
May 17, 2025 at 11:02 AM
As Reuters reported, new findings in Chinese made components for US energy infrastructure has set off some alarm bells. But is it a supply chain attack ? Is it just shoddy design and a lack of documentation ?
A brief look into one of China's Big Data tools that is favored by its security agencies to keep tabs on its population.
May 12, 2025 at 5:45 AM
A brief look into one of China's Big Data tools that is favored by its security agencies to keep tabs on its population.
Interesting tender notice from the regional government in Xinjiang. Deepseek integration into judicial system, with the mention of “Deepseek+”, a possible govt only DS flavor in China.
May 1, 2025 at 10:21 AM
Interesting tender notice from the regional government in Xinjiang. Deepseek integration into judicial system, with the mention of “Deepseek+”, a possible govt only DS flavor in China.
All of this and much more you can find here Read the full investigation here -> t.co/NmX5nUJHie
April 25, 2025 at 9:22 AM
All of this and much more you can find here Read the full investigation here -> t.co/NmX5nUJHie
Special projects: High end AI driven vulnerability research projects for example "OKL4 microvisors", initiated by the Peoples Liberation Army.
April 25, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Special projects: High end AI driven vulnerability research projects for example "OKL4 microvisors", initiated by the Peoples Liberation Army.